Bulgaria -- doesn't ring much of a positive bell does it? Under Turkish domination for centuries, then a short-lived monarchy, which aligned itself twice with the losing side in the World Wars, and then almost half a century of Warschaupakt goodness.

But that was not what Bulgaria had always been. Once upon a time Bulgaria was one of the three great powers in Europe. Back then, it was capable of bossing around the Byzantine Empire and keeping the Carolingians at bay. Bulgaria was where the Cyrillic alphabet was perfected, and was the first champion of the Slavic cause -- perhaps the greatest.

But what exactly was Bulgaria's position in those days? Does it fit into the same row as the Byzantines, Carolingians and the Caliphate?

I say it does. Ancient Bulgaria was a super power. It bitchslapped the Byzantines in practically every encounter, annexed the Avar kingdom after it was defeated by Charlemagne (pretty damn cheeky of Khan Krum), and was a greater danger to Constantinople than the Muslims after Leo III.


Bulgaria at its greatest extent under Simeon the Great (kniaz 893-927, Tsar since 917)